Rosmarinus plant named &#39;Sunkissed&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Rosmarinus  plant named ‘Sunkissed’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; green and golden yellow bi-colored leaves; blue-colored flowers and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Rosmarinus officinalis

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘SUNKISSED’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofRosmarinus plant, botanically known as Rosmarinus officinalis,commercially known as Rosemary and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Sunkissed’.

The new Rosmarinus plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutationof an unnamed selection of Rosmarinus officinalis, not patented. The newRosmarinus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor inDecember, 2007 from within a population of plants of the parentselection in a controlled greenhouse environment in New Plymouth, NewZealand.

Asexual reproduction of the new Rosmarinus plant by terminal cuttings ina controlled greenhouse environment in New Plymouth, New Zealand sincethe spring of 2008 has shown that the unique features of this newRosmarinus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Rosmarinus have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunkissed’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunkissed’ as a new and distinct Rosmarinusplant:

1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Green and golden yellow bi-colored leaves.

3. Blue-colored flowers.

4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Rosmarinus differ from plants of the mutation parentselection primarily in leaf color as plants of the mutation parentselection have solid green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Rosmarinus can be compared to plants of Rosmarinusofficinalis ‘Gold Dust’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,949. Plantsof the new Rosmarinus and ‘Gold Dust’ differ primarily in plant habit asplants of the new Rosmarinus are more uniform than plants of ‘GoldDust’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Rosmarinus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Rosmarinus plant. The photograph at the bottom of the sheetcomprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of‘Sunkissed’ grown in a container. The photograph at the top of the sheetis a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunkissed’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown during the summer in 15.24-cm containers in anoutdoor nursery in Fresno, Calif. and under cultural practices whichapproximate those generally used in commercial Rosmarinus production.Plants were twelve weeks old when the photographs and description weretaken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from15° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 15° C. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Sunkissed’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unnamed    selection of Rosmarinus officinalis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five weeks at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two            months at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial sub-shrub;            upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit;            moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit,            pinching enhances lateral branch development, dense and            bushy plant form.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 30 cm to 35 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 14 cm to 18 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm to            2 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to somewhat            outwardly spreading. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            immature: Close to 144B. Color, mature: Close to N199B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.            Length: About 2.8 cm to 3.5 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire,            revolute. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.            Fragrance: Aromatic, pungent. Venation pattern: Pinnate.            Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Between N138C and            191A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N138C.            Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 189A;            venation, close to 189A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 191A; venation, close to 191B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single sessile flowers            arranged in compact verticillasters on crowded spikes;            freely flowering habit; flowers tubular with a two-lobed            upper lip and a three-lobed lower lip and relatively long            showy terminal flower bracts.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; flowering            continuous from the spring through the summer in Denmark.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual            flowers is highly dependent on weather conditions; flowers            not persistent; terminal flower bracts persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to N92C.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Diameter:            About 1.5 cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1 cm. Depth (height): About 6 mm.        -   Petals.—Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm to 2 mm.            Shape: Roughly spatulate to oval. Apex: Rounded. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close            to N92C; tube, white. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to N92C; tube, white.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused into a tube. Length:            About 8 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Four            have acute apices; the apex of the fifth sepal is rounded to            cordate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Tomentose, wooly. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            143B; towards the base, lighter than 143B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm to 6.5 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Color: Close            to 143B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.            Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Pollen            amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Yellow orange. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma            shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Dark purple. Style length:            About 4 mm. Style color: Whitish. Ovary color: Yellow green.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Rosmarinus have not    been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Rosmarinus plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Rosmarinus have exhibited good    garden performance and to have good tolerance to rain and wind.

1. A new and distinct Rosmarinus plant named ‘Sunkissed’ as illustratedand described.